134340 Pluto's 246.7-year orbit around the Sun will carry it to its furthest point to the Sun – its aphelion – at a distance of 49.08 AU.

Unlike most of the planets, which follow almost exactly circular orbits around the Sun which only vary in their distance from the Sun by a few percent, 134340 Pluto has a significantly elliptical orbit. Its distance from the Sun varies between 29.60 AU and 49.08 AU – a variation of over 65% – meaning that it receives 63% less heat and light from the Sun at aphelion as compared to perihelion.

Finding 134340 Pluto

134340 Pluto's distance from the Sun doesn't affect its appearance. From South El Monte, at the moment of aphelion it will be visible between 17:45 and 02:14. It will become accessible at around 17:45, when it rises to an altitude of 21° above your eastern horizon. It will reach its highest point in the sky at 21:59, 56° above your southern horizon. It will become inaccessible at around 02:14 when it sinks below 21° above your western horizon.

A chart of the path of 134340 Pluto across the sky in 2112 can be found here, and a chart of its rising and setting times here.

The position of 134340 Pluto at the moment it passes aphelion will be:

The coordinates above are given in J2000.0.

The sky on 29 Jun 2026

Source

The circumstances of this event were computed using the DE440 planetary ephemeris published by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

This event was automatically generated by searching the ephemeris for planetary alignments which are of interest to amateur astronomers, and the text above was generated based on an estimate of your location.

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Image credit

© NASA/New Horizons

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